I am a long time member of this forum, recently inactive for various reasons..anyway, hello to all of those who know me, and those of you that dont!! :)
Heres a little question i wanted to ask the forum, this week my trust has introduced a ban on nurses smoking in uniform by the front door of the hospital as it gives the patients a bad impression and looks unprofessional, all smokers (im not one myself, i add) must now go to the back of the hospital to smoke in the loading bay area.
there are smoking shelters at the front of the hospital (patient use) the nurses must not use these but go to the rear of the hospital as stated above.
so, my question is...what is your opinion? is this right, does a smoking nurse look unprofessional?, whats next, fat nurses banned from eating crisps in their uniform??
I am not saying that the trust is wrong (heaven forbid) just wondered what you all think?
I think the problem is that the whole anti-smoking brigade have brought in changes that are too draconian. Education is fine, but aim it towards kids and not adults who already know the dangers. Nobody who reaches the age of 16 has any doubt it's not good for you and some nurse, and possibly an overweight nurse as well, telling you what you already know is both patronising and intensely annoying.
Personally I have never been into the "nurse as role model" errr model. I see too many fat, unhealthy nurses; I know too many nurses who drink to excess, and as alcohol is a far worse blight on society than cigarettes, which for all the media hype is really only proven to kill those who smoke and not others (I personally have no doubt passive smoking exists, and presents dangers, I am less convinced there is solid evidence - RCT levels of evidence - that passive smoking kills in any great numbers, especially now smokers can't smoke indoors. Certainly compared to those killed indirectly by alcohol, or sugar, transfats, falling down stairs and what have you, passive smoking is not a problem. And while I'm at it, when we talk trashy and low class, just have a look at a nurses' Christmas party around midnight if you want to see these supposed role models in a different light. You certainly don't need a *** in your mouth to look trashy and low class.
Perhaps nurses should be forced to become teetotal, stop eating cakes and chips, and unless they're a size 10 and can run a half-marathon be barred from the profession? Bottom line is nurses are merely a cross section of society, with all the same faults as everyone else, and long may they remain that way, it keeps us all human.
If we want only nurses that are perfectly perfect in every way, which some obviously do, then I believe there's a shortage of those taking religious orders.
I apologise for my comment about only W nurses smoking. Sorry that was uncalled for. However when you are on a shift and you work with colleagues who smoke, I do find that they tend to take more "smoking" breaks, leaving you to do most of the work. I put my foot down on things like that but other nurses are not so assertive.
Squatront
18 Posts
I think the problem is that the whole anti-smoking brigade have brought in changes that are too draconian. Education is fine, but aim it towards kids and not adults who already know the dangers. Nobody who reaches the age of 16 has any doubt it's not good for you and some nurse, and possibly an overweight nurse as well, telling you what you already know is both patronising and intensely annoying.
Personally I have never been into the "nurse as role model" errr model. I see too many fat, unhealthy nurses; I know too many nurses who drink to excess, and as alcohol is a far worse blight on society than cigarettes, which for all the media hype is really only proven to kill those who smoke and not others (I personally have no doubt passive smoking exists, and presents dangers, I am less convinced there is solid evidence - RCT levels of evidence - that passive smoking kills in any great numbers, especially now smokers can't smoke indoors. Certainly compared to those killed indirectly by alcohol, or sugar, transfats, falling down stairs and what have you, passive smoking is not a problem. And while I'm at it, when we talk trashy and low class, just have a look at a nurses' Christmas party around midnight if you want to see these supposed role models in a different light. You certainly don't need a *** in your mouth to look trashy and low class.
Perhaps nurses should be forced to become teetotal, stop eating cakes and chips, and unless they're a size 10 and can run a half-marathon be barred from the profession? Bottom line is nurses are merely a cross section of society, with all the same faults as everyone else, and long may they remain that way, it keeps us all human.
If we want only nurses that are perfectly perfect in every way, which some obviously do, then I believe there's a shortage of those taking religious orders.